scholarly journals Cinobufagin-induced DNA damage response activates G2/M checkpoint and apoptosis to cause selective cytotoxicity in cancer cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajing Niu ◽  
Jiamei Wang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Zhihua Zou ◽  
Yushuang Ding
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Oxidative Dna Damage ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Toad Skin ◽  
Selective Cytotoxicity ◽  
Damage Response

Abstract Background Processed extracts from toad skin and parotoid gland have long been used to treat various illnesses including cancer in many Asian countries. Recent studies have uncovered a family of bufadienolides as the responsible pharmacological compounds, and the two major molecules, cinobufagin and bufalin, have been shown to possess robust antitumor activity; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Methods Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by DCFH-DA staining and flow cytometry, and DNA damage was analyzed by immunofluorescent staining and the alkaline comet assay. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT as well as colony formation assays, and cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, apoptosis was further characterized by TUNEL and mitochondrial membrane potential assays. Results Here we showed that sublethal doses of cinobufagin suppressed the viability of many cancer but not noncancerous cell lines. This tumor-selective cytotoxicity was preceded by a rapid, cancer-specific increase in cellular ROS and was significantly reduced by the ROS inhibitor N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), indicating oxidative stress as the primary source of cinobufagin-induced cancer cell toxicity. Sublethal cinobufagin-induced ROS overload resulted in oxidative DNA damage and intense replication stress in cancer cells, leading to strong DNA damage response (DDR) signaling. Subsequent phosphorylation of CDC25C and stabilization of p53 downstream of DDR resulted in activation of the G2/M checkpoint followed by induction of apoptosis. These data indicate that cinobufagin suppresses cancer cell viability via DDR-mediated G2 arrest and apoptosis. Conclusion As elevated oxidative pressure is shared by most cancer cells that renders them sensitive to further oxidative insult, these studies suggest that nontoxic doses of cinobufagin can be used to exploit a cancer vulnerability for induction of cancer-specific cytotoxicity.

Cinobufagin-Induced DNA Damage Response Activates G2/M Checkpoint and Apoptosis to Cause Selective Cytotoxicity in Cancer Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiajing Niu ◽  
Jiamei Wang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Zhihua Zou ◽  
Yushuang Ding
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Oxidative Dna Damage ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Toad Skin ◽  
Selective Cytotoxicity ◽  
Damage Response

Abstract Background: Processed extracts from toad skin and parotoid gland have long been used to treat various illnesses including cancer in many Asian countries. Recent studies have uncovered a family of bufadienolides as the responsible pharmacological compounds, and the two major molecules, cinobufagin and bufalin, have been shown to possess robust antitumor activity; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.Methods: Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured by DCFH-DA staining and flow cytometry, and DNA damage was analyzed by immunofluorescent staining and the alkaline comet assay. Cytotoxicity was measured by MTT as well as colony formation assays, and cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. In addition, apoptosis was further characterized by TUNEL and mitochondrial membrane poten­tial assays. Results: Here we showed that sublethal doses of cinobufagin suppressed the viability of many cancer but not noncancerous cell lines. This tumor-selective cytotoxicity was preceded by a rapid, cancer-specific increase in cellular ROS and was significantly reduced by the ROS inhibitor N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), indicating oxidative stress as the primary source of cinobufagin-induced cancer cell toxicity. Sublethal cinobufagin-induced ROS overload resulted in oxidative DNA damage and intense replication stress in cancer cells, leading to strong DNA damage response (DDR) signaling. Subsequent phosphorylation of CDC25C and stabilization of p53 downstream of DDR resulted in activation of the G2/M checkpoint followed by induction of apoptosis. These data indicate that cinobufagin suppresses cancer cell viability via DDR-mediated G2 arrest and apoptosis.Conclusion: As elevated oxidative pressure is shared by most cancer cells that renders them sensitive to further oxidative insult, these studies suggest that nontoxic doses of cinobufagin can be used to exploit a cancer vulnerability for induction of cancer-specific cytotoxicity.

scholarly journals ATR and p-ATR are emerging prognostic biomarkers and DNA damage response targets in ovarian cancer

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 175883592098285
Author(s):  
Wenlong Feng ◽  
Dylan C. Dean ◽  
Francis J. Hornicek ◽  
Jinglu Wang ◽  
Yanyan Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cell ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Tissue ◽  
Damage Response

Background: Although ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) has an established role in the DNA damage response of various cancers, its clinical and prognostic significance in ovarian cancer remains largely unknown. The aims of this study were to assess the expression, function, and clinical prognostic relationship of ATR and phospho-ATR ser428 (p-ATR) in ovarian cancer. Methods: We confirmed ATR and p-ATR expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a unique ovarian cancer tissue microarray constructed of paired primary, recurrent, and metastatic tumor tissues from 26 individual patients. ATR-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and ATR inhibitor VE-822 were applied to determine the effects of ATR inhibition on ovarian cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage. ATR expression and the associated proteins of the ATR/Chk1 pathway in ovarian cancer cell lines were evaluated by Western blotting. The clonogenicity was also examined using clonogenic assays. A three dimensional (3D) cell culture model was performed to mimic the in vivo ovarian cancer environment to further validate the effects of ATR inhibition on ovarian cancer cells. Results: We show recurrent ovarian cancer tissues express higher levels of ATR and p-ATR than their patient-matched primary tumor counterparts. Additionally, higher expression of p-ATR correlates with decreased survival in ovarian cancer patients. Treatment of ovarian cancer cells with ATR specific siRNA or ATR inhibitor VE-822 led to significant apoptosis and inhibition of cellular proliferation, with reduced phosphorylation of Chk1 (p-Chk1), Cdc25c (p-Cdc25c), Cdc2 (p-Cdc2), and increased expression of cleaved PARP and γH2AX. Inhibition of ATR also suppressed clonogenicity and spheroid growth of ovarian cancer cells. Conclusion: Our results support the ATR and p-ATR pathway as a prognostic biomarker, and targeting the ATR machinery is an emerging therapeutic approach in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

ATR and p-ATR are Emerging Prognostic Biomarkers and DNA Damage Response Targets in Ovarian Cancer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
wenlong feng ◽  
Dylan C. Dean ◽  
Francis J. Hornicek ◽  
Jinglu Wang ◽  
Yanyan Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cell ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Ovarian Cancer Cells ◽  
Cancer Tissue ◽  
Damage Response

Abstract Background: Although ATR has an established role in DNA damage response in various cancers, its clinical and prognostic significance in ovarian cancer remains largely unknown. The aims of this study are to assess the expression, function and clinical prognostic relationship of ATR, p-ATR in ovarian cancer. Methods: We confirmed ATR and p-ATR expressions by immunohistochemistry in a unique ovarian cancer tissue microarray constructed of paired primary, recurrent and metastatic tumor tissues from 26 individual patients. ATR specific siRNA and ATR inhibitor VE-822 were applied to determine the effect of ATR inhibition on ovarian cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage. ATR expression and the associated proteins of the ATR/Chk1 pathway in ovarian cancer cell lines were evaluated by Western blotting. The clonogenicity was also examined using clonogenic assays. A 3D cell culture model was performed to mimic the in vivo ovarian cancer environment to further validate the effect of ATR inhibition on ovarian cancer cells. Results: We show recurrent ovarian cancer tissues express higher levels of ATR and p-ATR than their patient-matched primary tumor counterparts. Additionally, higher expression of p-ATR correlates with decreased survival in ovarian cancer patients. Treatment of ovarian cancer cells with ATR specific siRNA or ATR inhibitor VE-822 led to significant apoptosis and inhibition of cellular proliferation, with reduced phosphorylation of Chk1 (p-Chk1), Cdc25c (p-Cdc25c), Cdc2 (p-Cdc2), and increased expression of cleaved PARP and γH2AX. Inhibition of ATR also suppressed clonogenicity and spheroid growth of ovarian cancer cells. Conclusion: Our results support the ATR and p-ATR pathway as a prognostic biomarker, and targeting the ATR machinery is an emerging therapeutic approach in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

scholarly journals NKX3.1 contributes to S phase entry and regulates DNA damage response (DDR) in prostate cancer cell lines

2011 ◽  
Vol 414 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burcu Erbaykent-Tepedelen ◽  
Besra Özmen ◽  
Lokman Varisli ◽  
Ceren Gonen-Korkmaz ◽  
Bilge Debelec-Butuner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Prostate Cancer Cell ◽  
S Phase ◽  
Prostate Cancer Cell Lines ◽  
Damage Response ◽  
Phase Entry

scholarly journals APE2 Is a General Regulator of the ATR-Chk1 DNA Damage Response Pathway to Maintain Genome Integrity in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Akram Hossain ◽  
Yunfeng Lin ◽  
Garrett Driscoll ◽  
Jia Li ◽  
Anne McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Human Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Genome Integrity ◽  
Pancreatic Cancer Cells ◽  
Damage Response ◽  
Egg Extracts

The maintenance of genome integrity and fidelity is vital for the proper function and survival of all organisms. Recent studies have revealed that APE2 is required to activate an ATR-Chk1 DNA damage response (DDR) pathway in response to oxidative stress and a defined DNA single-strand break (SSB) in Xenopus laevis egg extracts. However, it remains unclear whether APE2 is a general regulator of the DDR pathway in mammalian cells. Here, we provide evidence using human pancreatic cancer cells that APE2 is essential for ATR DDR pathway activation in response to different stressful conditions including oxidative stress, DNA replication stress, and DNA double-strand breaks. Fluorescence microscopy analysis shows that APE2-knockdown (KD) leads to enhanced γH2AX foci and increased micronuclei formation. In addition, we identified a small molecule compound Celastrol as an APE2 inhibitor that specifically compromises the binding of APE2 but not RPA to ssDNA and 3′-5′ exonuclease activity of APE2 but not APE1. The impairment of ATR-Chk1 DDR pathway by Celastrol in Xenopus egg extracts and human pancreatic cancer cells highlights the physiological significance of Celastrol in the regulation of APE2 functionalities in genome integrity. Notably, cell viability assays demonstrate that APE2-KD or Celastrol sensitizes pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs. Overall, we propose APE2 as a general regulator for the DDR pathway in genome integrity maintenance.

scholarly journals Role of the circadian clock "Death-Loop" in the DNA damage response underpinning cancer treatment resistance

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ninel Miriam Vainshelbaum ◽  
Kristine Salmina ◽  
Bogdan I Gerashchenko ◽  
Marija Lazovska ◽  
Pawel Zayakin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Dna Damage ◽  
Circadian Clock ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Dna Damage Response ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Mitotic Slippage ◽  
Damage Response ◽  
Telomere Regulation

The Circadian Clock (CC) drives the normal cell cycle and reciprocally regulates telomere elongation. However, it can be deregulated in cancer, embryonic stem cells (ESC) and the early embryo. Here, its role in the resistance of cancer cells to genotoxic treatments was assessed in relation to whole-genome duplication (WGD) and telomere regulation. We first evaluated the DNA damage response of polyploid cancer cells and observed a similar impact on the cell cycle to that seen in ESC - overcoming G1/S, adapting DNA damage checkpoints, tolerating DNA damage, and coupling telomere erosion to accelerated cell senescence, favouring transition by mitotic slippage into the ploidy cycle (reversible polyploidy). Next, we revealed a positive correlation between cancer WGD and deregulation of CC assessed by bioinformatics on 11 primary cancer datasets (rho=0.83; p<0.01). As previously shown, the cancer cells undergoing mitotic slippage cast off telomere fragments with TERT, restore the telomeres by recombination and return their depolyploidised mitotic offspring to TERT-dependent telomere regulation. Through depolyploidisation and the CC "death loop", the telomeres and Hayflick limit count are thus again renewed. This mechanism along with similar inactivity of the CC in early embryos supports a life-cycle (embryonic) concept of cancer.

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